


noel michaels stuff? i think yes !

by shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars



Category: StarKid Productions RPF, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Multi, Other, charlotte's a great aunt i swea, mostly fluff I think, oneshots, paulkins !!!!!, prompts i find on tumblr, sam can kinda suck a dick, soft, ted can be sweet ig, usually things in my tumblr asks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:26:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 12,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22062517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars/pseuds/shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars
Summary: this is jjust a collection of oneshots i write, drabbles, etc.
Relationships: Alice/Deb (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Charlotte and Emma, Charlotte and Original Female Character, Charlotte/Ted (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Comments: 54
Kudos: 36





	1. New Year's Eve

**Author's Note:**

> hi guys!! welcome to the book
> 
> this is just things i find on tumblr that strike my fancy  
> have fun!!!

Summary: A New Year's Eve party run by Ted and Charlotte with a little help from her niece.

\----------------

Charlotte didn’t think through the implications of hosting at her and Ted’s house.

The amount of work that went into it drove the poor woman crazy. Luckily, Ted took some jobs upon himself and Noel took a few others.

Thank God for Noel Elizabeth.

The girl had been a blessing and a curse. She had come under Sam’s custody after her parents were reckless and almost got themselves and their 7-year-old daughter killed. She was a brilliant addition, especially after he and Charlotte failed to conceive a child of their own due to infertility. 

Noel always tried to be a good kid. She didn’t try to cause any trouble. The curse came with the responsibility of raising a kid. Sam was never home, working long hours. It was more put on Charlotte to raise her instead of Sam. That plus cheating on one another added up to make grounds for divorce. 

As a result, Noel spent alternate holidays with Sam and Charlotte. New Year’s Eve was Sam’s during the day, but at the end of the day, she could go home to Charlotte. Which then reminded Charlotte: Noel was coming home to a house of (probably) drunk adults. Not the best thing for the girl, but it would work out.

“Auntie Charlotte, I’m home!” Noel opened the door, closing it behind her as she stepped in. The house still smelled of the Christmas tree she and Charlotte had decorated. It was more comforting than Sam’s apartment.

“Noel, honey, we’re in the living room. Paul and Emma came by for the party.” Charlotte responded. She could hear the teen rustling around with the coat and backpack before coming in, planting a kiss on her aunt’s cheek.

“Hi, Noel.” Paul smiled from his seat with Emma, arm around his girlfriend casually. He then earned a hug from her, the small teen engulfing him with appreciation. No matter how old she got, she’d always be the tiny 7-year-old that hid under Charlotte’s desk with a Rainbow Magic book and a dinosaur water bottle to Paul. Charlotte knew that well.

“Hey, Michaels.” Emma gave her a quick hug. Charlotte also knew how much Noel loved Emma, so the hug was nice to see. It was nice to see Noel looking up to someone other than herself.

“What about me?” Ted spoke, his arm tight on Charlotte’s waist. Noel looked over and just gave him a high-five. A sigh fell from Charlotte’s lips. Noel hadn’t grown on Ted yet. It could’ve been the whole cheating part, or it could be that Ted could be an asshole. She hadn’t figured it out.

“The food’s in the fridge, hon. There are also drinks in there too. You can come and sit with us when you’re finished,” Charlotte said as her niece gave her a thumbs-up and wandered into the kitchen. She watched before turning back to the other couple.

“Ten years in January, yeah?” Paul asked, rubbing his thumb along Emma’s arm. She spaced out for a few moments before remembering to answer. Charlotte did that frequently.

“Oh, yeah. Ten years since I took her in.” She pulled at a loose thread on her sweater. “Can’t believe it. Seems like yesterday I was bringing her to the office with her books and just hoping it went okay.” She continued to concentrate on that loose thread. Ted gave her side a squeeze, causing her to jump a little bit.

“Hey, doll. Calm down. It’s all okay.” Ted spoke softly into her ear, pushing a curl from her face. Charlotte could feel her face heating up as his fingers grazed her cheek. It had been years since she’d felt genuine affection. Of course, it could’ve been the alcohol coursing through her veins, but she wasn’t complaining. Emma clearing her throat snapped the couple back to reality.

“Let’s get off that topic. What do you guys have, for things to do, that is?” She asked as Noel came back. She looked to the teen, who swallowed a mouthful of spaghetti.

“We have an old Wii. I think we have some games for it still.” She placed the plate on the coffee table, going and looking through the cardboard boxes that still needed to be unpacked. The move had overwhelmed Charlotte. Before, they were all squished into Ted’s tiny apartment with Noel sleeping on the couch and Charlotte and Ted in Ted’s room. Now, they had a small 2-floor house that had more than enough room. It had been two weeks. Moving the week before Christmas was her worst idea. 

“No, hon, you don’t have to go look for them…” Char trailed off as Noel pulled out a Tupperware of discs.

“Found them.” A grin lit up the room as she uncapped it, sitting down on the other part of the couch, away from Ted and Charlotte, “Take your pick.”

A couple of hours later, Charlotte was mostly drunk on whatever Emma had gotten at the liquor store a few hours prior to coming. She could feel the alcohol in her body as she watched Ted and Paul play Mario Kart. She had a glass of water, wanting to stay mostly sober rather than mostly drunk. On top of all this, Noel had curled up next to her, her head leaning against her shoulder. Noel hadn’t done it in months. Not since the divorce papers went through. 

“Hey, you okay?” Charlotte whispered, hearing Noel shift and sniff. Her niece looked at her with bleary eyes, a slightly worrying sign. 

“Mm, just tired. It’s New Year’s Eve so I’m gonna stay up.” She whispered, her eyes already half-closed as Charlotte let out a sigh, sipping her water.

“Hon, you can’t. You’ve been on the go since 6 this morning. Go on up.” She pressed a kiss to the girl’s head. Noel shook her head, which earned a sigh from her aunt. Charlotte reached forward and gave Ted’s undershirt a yank.

“Fuck, Char, what do you want?” He asked as he turned around, but he immediately softened up at the scene in front of him. Noel’s eyes had fluttered shut and her chest was rising and falling peacefully. Charlotte just gestured to her, which elicited a soft groan from Ted, “It’s only 10. She went and fell asleep?”

“Can you take her to bed?” She asked, taking a long sip of her water. “You know I can’t carry her, Ted.”

“Oh, alright. But only because I love you and she’s part of the deal.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips before lifting the small teen and bringing her upstairs to bed.

Charlotte did love Ted. It felt nice to have requited love. It felt nice to feel wanted. 

It felt especially nice to have a true, real New Year’s kiss. A real one as the clock struck midnight. Ted’s lips against hers, a glass of sparkling cider in one hand (the champagne was a little _too_ pricey for Emma and Paul’s budget), and her other hand cupping his cheek.

Life was good. _Happy New Year_ , Charlotte said to herself, _here’s to a good one._


	2. thr title of the doc was "haha angst time" im rly concerned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is basically gonna be my "noel michaels" dump....  
> what a babey  
> angst, weight tw, anxiety is 100% alluded to

Prompt: “Have you been eating enough?”

\-------

Emma didn’t think she’d end up being a second mom.

She’d never thought of herself as the “mom” type. She could barely keep herself alive, sometimes, nevermind another living person. She was lucky Paul had his head screwed on right.

She was still at Beanies, finishing up the morning shift when she heard a familiar voice order from Zoey.

“Can I have a large hot chai tea latte please?”

She only knew one voice with that order. It was Noel, Charlotte’s niece. It was a Thursday during April. The girl should’ve been at school, but here she was at 9:50 in the morning.

“Noel? You’re supposed to be in school,” chided Emma as she untied her apron, “Why aren’t you?” She hung it up and came around the front to inspect the teen.

“I got the day off. It was nice enough to go out so…” Noel trailed off when she realized Emma wasn’t buying it. The girl took her drink and gave Zoey a nice “thank you” before she began to walk back out the door. Emma grabbed her arm before she could.

“Bullshit. I’m driving you to CCRP. Is Charlotte there? She’s gonna kill you, Noel…” Emma shook her head, leading her out back to her car. Noel tried to pull away but never made it.

“Auntie Char went on her business trip with Ted. They stepped in for Paul and Bill at the last second. Two months ago. Remember?” Noel mumbled as she got in, putting her drink in the cupholder. It suddenly clicked in Emma’s head.

The business trip to the main headquarters in Munich, Germany.

Paul was supposed to go, as was Bill, but Ted and Charlotte stepped in. How tragically heroic. Noel had reassured Charlotte multiple times she’d be okay, but Emma couldn’t help but notice just how different the girl seemed. She seemed less happy-go-lucky. More skittish. Emma couldn’t look over the slight weight loss that was evident. Noel was tiny enough as it was, but when she lost any weight, it made her look weak.

“Have you been eating enough?” Emma immediately asked, inspecting the girl. She pulled away immediately with a groan.

“Stop babying me. I’m fine.” She pulled a face. “I promise. I just got a little overwhelmed and had to take a break from school today. That’s all, Emma. I promise.” She shook her head, but Emma could tell something was nagging at the girl’s mind.

“You can tell me. You know I won’t tell Charlotte either. You know I don’t tell.” She said softly, putting the car in reverse to drive to her and Paul’s apartment. It took a bit of the drive to get Noel to crack.

“It’s just...I miss Auntie Charlotte. The longest I’ve been without her in 10 years was Thanksgiving last year and now she and Ted decide to go away until mid-May to fucking Germany! They left me with not enough money to last me and you’re fucking right, I haven’t been eating probably enough as I should, and my doctor at my physical said I can’t lose any more weight or she’s putting me on a plan and I know I’m losing and then Auntie Charlotte’ll be upset and it hurts...I don’t know how else to describe it...:” She began to rant, holding the warm beverage in her hand. Emma listened as they drove down the side streets Emma knew would get them home faster. The faster she could get some sustainable food into the teenager’s system, the better she would feel. The less the teen spiraled, the better it would turn out for them. 

The phone rang out through the speakers, shutting Noel up as the name “Paul <3” appeared on Emma’s phone. Emma accepted it, of course.

“Hi, love.” 

“Hi, darling. How was work?” Paul’s voice broke the silence in the car. He knew Emma worked short shifts on Thursdays. It was just her thing now. 

“It was fine, the usual. I’ve got Noel in the car with me, she wasn’t feeling too hot so I picked her up from school. That’s okay with you, right?” Emma covered for Noel, seeing the teen pick at a string on her white top out of the corner of her eye.

“Oh, oh. Yeah, that’s totally okay. Does she want me to shoot Charlotte a text or anything? If she hasn’t already, I mean.” He talked, which gave Emma some relief. She looked at Noel, who shook her head frantically. Emma had to make up a quick lie. She didn’t need Paul all worried.

“School talked to her. It’s all okay, Paul. I’ll see you for lunch still. Okay? Love you very much, Matthews.” Emma smiled softly as she told her boyfriend she loved him. 

“Love you too, Perkins. See you for lunch.”

The ended call sound played through the car and Emma sighed softly, resting at a stoplight. Noel had long finished her drink and was staring out the window now. It was a nice day, sunny and warm for April in Harchetfield. 

“You know you could’ve called Paul or me and we would’ve helped you in an instant. Right?” Emma spoke softly, knowing the teen was probably upset at the whole ordeal. When she didn’t get a response, Emma gently reached out for her arm. Noel moved away. The slight shudder to her shoulders and little hiccups gave away the tears streaming down her face. Emma pulled into the apartment building’s parking lot straight away and parked the car, unbuckling herself and getting out before opening the door for Noel. 

“You have to slightly put yourself together. We’re just walking in and going up one flight to the apartment.” She offered her hand, which the girl took willingly. Emma walked up to her apartment, unlocking the door and pushing it open. 

The apartment was only a little bit of a disaster. The kitchen was tidy, but the dining room table was scattered with mail and Emma’s college papers. Paul kept his papers in a tidy-ish stack, which gave the table some sort of orderliness. Emma closed the door and pointed Noel to the couch.

“Sit. I’ll make you something. Do you want eggs or som--”

Emma was cut off by a phone ringing. Noel picked hers up before giving a small whine. The screen lit up with “Auntie Char” across the screen.

“Let me answer.” Emma took it and answered. “Hello?”

“Emma? Why do you have Noel’s phone?” Charlotte’s voice came from the phone, clearly distraught. “Is she alright? The school just called, she isn’t there…”

“Yeah, I have her. She wasn’t feeling too good. She’s just gonna hang here with me, don’t worry. She’s asleep right now, though.” Emma lied, leaning on the back of the couch. 

“Oh, okay...can you have her call me back when she wakes up?” Charlotte didn’t sound any less worried. Emma sighed, thinking.

“I can,” she started, taking a breath, “I don’t know how long she’ll be sleeping though. She looks pretty tired.”

“Okay, just have her call me.” Charlotte reinforced the message before ending the call. Emma could see Noel’s hands shaking.

“She believes me, it seems,” Emma said softly. “Now, eggs?”

“Yes, please. Eggs sound good.” Noel whispered, bringing her knees up to her chest. Emma took the silent actions as wanting to be left alone, so she went into the kitchen and began to cook. 

A few hours later, the door creaked open. Paul closed it behind him, placing his jacket on the hanger next to the door. Noel was watching a Disney movie on the TV, not facing Paul. Emma, on the other hand, was cleaning up the dining room table. 

“I’m home.” Paul came up behind Emma, wrapping an arm around the petite woman’s waist. A smile came over Emma’s face.

“Welcome home, even if it’s just for an hour and a half.” She turned and leaned up for a kiss, which Paul gave her rather quickly. 

“Gross,” Noel chimed from the couch, now turned and facing the pair. Paul was first to pull away, his cheeks already flaming red at the comment.

“Hi, Noel. Forgot you would be here. How are you feeling?” He asked, going over to the teen and giving her a rather quick hug. Emma could see Noel almost cracking, the look on her face said it all.

“Paul, honey, what do you want for lunch?” Emma asked, risking the moment. Paul shrugged, currently unable to pull away due to Noel’s grip on him.

“Whatever you want to make.” He responded, “What’s wrong, Noel?” He asked, sounding concerned now. Emma quickly moved into the kitchen, busying herself so Paul could take care of Noel.

She could hear the soft hiccups again. Noel was crying, and Paul was trying to help in any way he could. She could hear Paul moving to sit with her, trying to calm her down. Then, if Emma could kill Paul, she would.

A fucking Dad Joke came from him.

“Hey, Noel. Listen to me for a second. The fattest knight at King Arthur’s round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.” He said, which earned a giggle from the girl that was mixed with sobs. Not what Emma was hoping for, but it was close enough.

“Hey, Noel. You have to call Charlotte. Let her know what’s going on. I know you don’t want to, but you’re going to have to. She’s all nervous. She called me at 11 asking if I’d heard from you.” Paul mumbled, reminding Emma of what she had been told by Charlotte earlier. Noel just let out a weak “No”. It was clear how much she was resisting the idea of talking to her aunt.

“It’ll make me feel worse. Can’t you or Emma call her?” She sniffled, and Emma peeked in. Noel’s head was on Paul’s shoulder, her eyes red and puffy. He had put his arm around her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

“No, Noel. You have to. I know it’ll suck. Call her tonight. I’ll come by and make sure you’re alright. Okay? I’ll bring you some dinner too. How’s that?” He asked, trying to reason with the teen. Emma appreciated his efforts.

“Can you stay when I call her?” The question was almost unheard, but a nod from Paul sealed the deal. Emma smiled before holding Paul’s lunch in her hand and putting it down at a clear spot on the table.

“Lunch is ready, Paul. Do you want anything, Noel?”

\--

The next few hours were mainly just Emma completing college work and Noel watching movies on the little TV. When Paul came home, he drove Noel back to the house she truly lived in. Ted and Charlotte’s. He stepped out to get her something from the diner down the street when Charlotte called Noel. She had no choice but to answer.

“Hi, Auntie Char.”

“Noel? What happened? Are you alright?” Charlotte sounded frantic, startling the poor girl.

“Mhm, just didn’t feel good today. I went down to Beanies ‘cause I didn’t wanna be home alone so Emma took me to hers and I slept all day. Paul drove me home.”

“But you should’ve called me or Ted first, you know that.” The slight reprimand was enough to send Noel to the verge of tears.

“I didn’t want to upset you, or worry you, or do anything that might make you not happy…” Noel’s voice cracked on the last phrase. She began to cry, which wasn’t unusual.

“I ran out of money for food so I haven’t been eating as much as I should be and I know the doctor said I have to keep my weight steady but I didn’t and now I’m gonna have to go to the doctor again and I don’t want to and that’s more money for you to spend on me and I don’t want that…” It all came flooding out of her. Paul creaked open the door to see Noel on the couch, still crying as Charlotte tried to calm her down over the phone.

“Ted and I can cut this short, he’ll call Mr. Davidson in the morning and we’ll come straight home--”

“You don’t have to! I’ll be okay, I’ll be fine. I can stay with Alice, or Deb, or Danny…” She trailed off as Paul came in. He held his hand out for the phone, which Noel gave over.

“Charlotte?”

“Paul? Where’s Noel?”

“Emma and I can take her in.”

“You don’t have to, Paul…”

“We wouldn’t mind at all. I talked to Em on the way here. It’s okay, Charlotte. We can take care of her until you and Ted come back. Promise.”

Noel’s heart felt a little lighter that night on the car ride back to Paul and Emma’s apartment, bag of clothes in between her feet as the streetlights lit up the road, leading them to the apartment.


	3. Coming OUt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yet again, more noel michaels  
> this one has her coming out  
> anxiety tw, i think that's it?

“Hon, Uncle Sam is here!”

Noel came running down the stairs, putting her jacket on over her sweater as she pressed a kiss to Charlotte’s cheek. She had planned the lunch on New Year’s Day with her uncle. It was their thing.

“Bye, Auntie, I love you. I’ll text you on my way home.” She ran out the door and climbed into Sam’s black pickup truck. Giving her uncle a quick hug, she sat back.

“Alright, kid. Time for lunch. You hungry?” He asked, putting the car into drive and beginning to drive down the road. Noel smiled and watched the scenery go by. She loved driving with Sam. Even if his truck still smelled of cigarettes. 

“Yeah, I am.” She replied, keeping her sentences short out of habit. She wasn’t good at small talk. She never had been. Sam knew this, so he turned up the radio and let it play as they drove to the diner. When they arrived, the pair were seated by the window, which was great for Noel.

“Hi, Sam. Hi, Noel. What can I get you two?” Alice, one of Noel’s closest friends, was working at the diner. She looked at the two, waiting for their orders. Noel just pointed to the lemonade on the menu. Alice knew what she meant and scribbled it down on her notepad.

“Coffee for me, Alice.” Sam gave a smile to the girl as he ordered. 

“Okay, I’ll be back in a moment.” 

When Alice left, Noel couldn’t help but stare out the window. She loved looking outside from the inside. It was just what she did. Sam snapped her out of her mini-trance, trying to have a conversation with her.

“How was New Year’s Eve with Auntie Char?” He asked, causing a grin to form.

“Oh, Uncle Sam, it was great. Paul and Emma played on the Wii. They did Just Dance and apparently, Paul is good at Girlfriend, the one by Avril Lavigne? Oh, and I fell asleep at 10:30. Ted had to put me in bed.” She laughed, joy lighting the girl’s face up. 

“Oh, that’s nice.” A little bit of distaste came out on Sam’s tongue, but Noel kept talking.

“We had pasta and Auntie Char got drunk. It was funny. But, then she sobered up.” She watched Alice bring over the drinks and they ordered. Noel got a BLT (with no tomato because she hated them) and Sam got a burger. She began to stare out the window again.

Then, she saw her.

Aurora Duke. “Hatchetfield Bee”, as some called her. Noel’s dream girl.

“Holy shit, look at that girl. She’s so pretty. I wish I could talk to her. Maybe I’d actually get with her…” Noel voiced her thoughts, leaning her head on her hand. She could see Sam stiffen out of the corner of her eye. Then, it hit her.

Sam didn’t know she was a lesbian.

“Fuck, I mean--”

“You like girls?” Sam asked quietly, his usually rough voice soft. Noel could feel her chest tightening: a sign of an anxiety attack. All she could do was nod and drop one of her hands on the table. Sam quickly grabbed her hand, seeing the tremors in her fingers.

“Hey, hey. I’m not mad. I still love you.” He said softly. Noel couldn’t meet his eyes. What if he was lying to her? She couldn’t bear it.

“I’m not lying either, kid. I promise.” He added, “I don’t hate you. I couldn’t hate you. Ever.”

“You promise?” Noel looked up at him. Sam looked so kind. She had to accept that he genuinely cared.

“I promise.”

After lunch, Noel and Alice went out, which wasn’t unusual for the pair. She came home to Charlotte making dinner. Not unusual.

“How was lunch?” Charlotte asked, putting something in the oven. Noel hung her coat on the rack and came into the kitchen.

“Good, we went to the diner Alice works at. Got to see her.” She smiled softly. “Then Alice and I went out for a bit. We went down to the strip mall and looked around at some clothes. I didn’t buy anything, but I got to look at some things.” She tapped her fingers on the counter. 

“How was Sam?”

Now that caught Noel off-guard. Charlotte  _ never  _ asked about Sam. He was such a sensitive topic still. 

“Oh, Uncle Sam’s good, Auntie. I promise.” She smiled again, but it was forced. She was getting nervous. 

“What did you get? Are you hungry?” The interrogating was poking at her nerves. The shaky hands came back as Noel ran her fingers over her chipped nail polish to try and hide them. 

“I got a bacon and lettuce sandwich. I’m a little hungry, I’ll eat in a bit. I’m going upstairs.” She kissed Charlotte’s cheek before running up the stairs, nearly knocking into Ted. She heard a grumble but ignored it for the time being.

Later that night, Noel heard the house door being closed. Ted was going out for a drink with Bill and Paul, a normal occurrence. This meant that it was just Noel and Charlotte. 

“Hey, Auntie?” Noel asked quietly, coming into the living room. Charlotte looked up from her knitting. Noel knew Charlotte’s therapist had suggested the two start doing things together again after the divorce, so it was worth a shot.

“Yeah, hon?” 

“Can we watch a movie?” Noel fidgeted with her shirt sleeve, “We don’t have to if you don’t want to…” 

“We can, you pick and come to sit with me.”

About halfway through The Avengers, the second movie the pair watched, Noel was getting tired. She had leaned her head on Charlotte’s shoulder, curled up under one of the blankets Charlotte had made.

“Noel?” Charlotte said softly, fidgeting with one of the threads on her sweater. Noel made a “hm” noise, turning her head to face her aunt.

  
“Sam told me about lunch. He told me about what you said and...I wanted you to know that I still love and support you 100 percent. No matter what. And that’s a promise. I didn’t tell Ted because I know you’re still not on board with him living with us officially.” She kissed her niece on the forehead. “I love you.”

Noel felt comfortable with Charlotte. It gave her relief to know she didn’t have to hide her crush on Aurora around Charlotte. She heard her aunt’s “I love you” and she smiled softly, closing her eyes.

“Love you too, Auntie.”

Ted came home to his girlfriend and her niece fast asleep on the couch with the credits of The Avengers playing softly in the background.


	4. 3:46AM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANGST WARNING  
> SAM IS AN ASSHOLE THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER  
> LOTS OF ANGST  
> TWS: WEIGHT, ANXIETY ATTACK (ALLUDED), SAM BEING A GENERAL ASS @ CHARLOTTE

The fighting wouldn’t stop. 

Noel tossed and turned in her bed, listening to Sam and Charlotte fight for the third time that day. Summer vacation in Hatchetfield was not serving her well. Why hadn’t she taken Danny’s offer to go away with him?

“Charlotte, shut the fuck up!” Sam yelled, reducing his wife to tears. 

Noel could feel tears of her own pricking at the corners of her eyes. 

“You’re the biggest regret of my life. I should’ve never taken you to prom.”

A tear slid down the girl’s cheek. 

“I wish I never even thought of marrying you.”

More tears slid down her cheeks. She was praying for a phone call to break the fight. Or Ted to walk through that door right now and take Charlotte away. 

“You’re so fucking fat. Lose the fucking weight.”

That phone call never came. 

“Noel shouldn’t look up to you like she does. You’re a piece of shit.”

Ted never came to make it all better. 

This went on for hours. Sam berating Charlotte over everything. It got to the point that when the apartment door closed, shaking the picture frames on the walls, and Sam’s pickup truck was started, Noel felt a bit of relief. 

The silence enveloped Noel in regretful bliss. Was she really that much of a handful? She never tried to make trouble for her aunt and uncle. She was beginning to think she was better off living with her parents. They were assholes. She didn't think anything could be worse than them. But listening to Sam and Charlotte argue for hours at a time was worse. 

That wasn’t what she wanted, but her thoughts were spiraling. 

The clock ticked. 

Shudders ran through Noel’s body. 

Tears poured down her face. 

The clock read  **3:46 AM** . 

No sleep for Noel Michaels with the thoughts on her mind. 


	5. First Dates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why is this book a Noel Michaels Fan CLub  
> idk anyway enjoy noel getting what she DESERVES and also paulkins parenting (but mostly paul)

Noel needed the getaway. 

When Aurora Duke invited her out to the Starlight to see Chicago, she felt her chest grow light. She got all dressed up for it too. She waited in the living room, wringing her hands into her sweater. 

“It’ll be fun. You look adorable, Noel.” Paul smiled encouragingly. The teen spun around. It was her first date ever. She was not ready. 

“I just hope it goes all right, Paul…” She said softly. Alice was sitting with Paul, watching the teen pace back and forth. Alice had curled her hair and done her makeup, which made Noel a little less stressed out. She knew she’d look pretty if Alice did it. She herself was hopeless with this type of stuff.

“No, Noel, you look gorgeous. It’ll be alright. Deb went over to Aurora’s. It’s gonna work out. I promise.” Alice spoke softly, standing up and holding her friend’s hands. Noel met Alice’s eyes before hugging her tightly. 

“I just wish Auntie Char and Ted were here and not on their trip still…” She said softly, Alice rubbing her back gently as she tried to calm down. 

The doorbell sounded and Paul got it. 

Aurora stood outside in a simple black dress, hair down and straightened. She was around Noel’s height, definitely taller but not by much. It was obvious who was more like Deb and who was more like Alice in this pair. Aurora reminded Paul of his niece’s partner. They dressed a lot like Aurora on the fancier dates. 

“Oh, are you Sam?” She asked, her voice soft. She had a similar tendency of wringing her hands into a fabric, usually a sweater. Aurora’s was the bottom of her dress. Noel could see her fiddling with the ends of her dress, which gave her a sense of relief. 

“No, I’m Paul, a family friend. Sorry, come in. Ted and Charlotte are on a work trip and Sam must be working late or something.” He said, quickly introducing himself. He stepped back and allowed the teenager to step in and get her first look at Noel. 

Noel wore a long-sleeved maroon dress with lace on the bottom. She had put a black sweater over it since she always got cold. Her hair was curled and Alice had done the girl’s makeup, but he assumed Aurora wouldn’t realize. Noel tried to put a brave face on, but she knew her nerves would be visible. 

“Hi, Noel.” Aurora smiled softly, gently taking the girl’s hands in her own. Noel’s cheeks heated up and she just held her hands. She thought for a moment about what to say. Aurora was breathtakingly gorgeous.

“Hi, Bee. Oh, you look so good…” Noel smiled, trying to calm down. She thought Aurora looked absolutely gorgeous and she could barely get over it. Aurora smiled and looked at Paul, as did Noel. She pulled her hands away from her date to say goodbye to Paul. 

“Bye, Paul. I’ll see you when I come back.” She smiled softly and kissed Paul’s cheek. Alice got a hug before Noel led Aurora out to the car. 

The drive to the Starlight was anxiety-inducing enough. However, the show put Noel at ease. Musicals were easy for her to get lost in, so she let her mind wander. She watched the dancing and singing, her mind off everything. 

A hand on her leg brought her back to reality for a second. Her cheeks burned red as Aurora kept her hand on Noel’s leg. She looked, but Aurora had this stupid, cocky grin that made Noel want to kiss her desperately as she faced forward. God, she was head over heels for this girl and had been for ages. At least she could vaguely tell the love was reciprocated. 

After the show, Noel and Aurora walked out to the car. Of course, in pure Noel fashion, she got the best of luck. 

Parked in the Starlight Theater’s backlot, Noel Elizabeth experienced her first kiss. Soft lips against hers. A cool hand on her burning cheek. Scary, but nice. Lipstick stains gently covered the girl’s face after a while.

Nice to have something good for once. 

Paul would definitely be on her about the stains, but that was okay. They could come off. They only covered her face. Not her neck. Not her collarbone. None of that. Yet.

This was bliss. 

The door to the house opened and Noel stepped in. The car drove away once she had closed the door behind her. Noel was smiling,   
“How was it?” Paul asked from the kitchen, but Noel was still dazed from Aurora’s kisses. Deep red lipstick was smeared slightly on her cheek, forehead, and lips. He came around the corner and was taken aback. 

“Oh, you’re home—how the hell do you have that much lipstick on you?” He asked, inspecting her face. Noel blushed and rocked back on her heels, a grin on her face. 

“First kiss. She’s a super pretty kisser. It felt...good. Like Alice told me it should.” She whispered, her eyes wide with happiness. “She was super sweet all the way through the play, and then we got in the car and we just sat there and she kissed me! I didn’t think anyone would ever kiss me. But Bee’s so nice, Paul...is this what love is supposed to feel like?” 

“It’s exactly what it’s supposed to feel like. Now, let’s get you cleaned up and then we’ll go to mine and Emma’s again. I think Em wants to hear all this.” He smiled and fumbled around the house for makeup wipes. 

\--

“She kissed you already?” Emma asked in disbelief. The drowsy, yet wide awake, teen nodded. 

“Yeah! She kissed me on my lips first. She has such a pretty kiss, Emma! She’s just so...fucking good at it too. Like, I was a mess and I pulled away from her to tell her she would be my first kiss and that I didn’t know how to kiss...her hand went on my cheek and the other touched my side and she just said ‘That’s okay, love, don’t worry about it.’. Emma, I think I love her lots.” Noel’s cheeks went red. Her happiness was infectious. She could see Emma grow a small smile, looking at Paul.

“She came home with lipstick everywhere on her face, Em. I thought you’d have a heart attack if we got home and she looked like she did.” Paul was laughing, washing his face in the bathroom. Emma let out laughs.

“Like I would think Noel Elizabeth would allow someone to fuck her on the first date?”

“EMMA!” Noel blushed, burying her face in the couch cushion. Emma let out hysterical laughs, falling into an armchair dramatically. Paul laughed too. Seeing the teen as flustered as she was made the apartment brighter with Emma’s laughs.

“I’m not wrong, Noel, and you know it.” Emma peeled the couch cushion away from Noel. “Also, it’s late and you have shit to do in the morning at Beanies with me. So, go get ready.”

“But I’m not tired—“ She whined, but Emma gave her a look that caused Noel to snatch up her bag and go into the bathroom as Paul came out. He joined his girlfriend in their bedroom, getting into bed with her. He heard Noel move into the room they had temporarily set up for her and the light switch off. 

“I think she’s happy,” Paul said softly, putting his arm around Emma gently. “You should’ve seen her when she came home. God, she was so happy, Em.” He rubbed his hand on her arm. 

“I know, I can see it. It’s nice to see her happy, but at the same time, first kiss already?” She said softly. Paul did find it off that Noel had already gotten kissed by this girl. But, at the same time, he could tell how much Aurora cared for Noel. And how much she cared for Aurora. 

“The way Aurora looked at Noel when she was saying goodbye to me...it’s like they’ve been married for thirty years with grandkids.” He said softly. “It’s adorable, really. She seems so much happier. We’re lucky.” Paul let his fingers run through Emma’s hair, trying to lull her to sleep.

“I know, but it just doesn’t seem right…” Emma trailed off, her eyes fluttering shut. Paul heard her dozing off to sleep and he smiled softly. He knew Noel was head-over-heels and he could tell Aurora felt the same.

He just hoped everything would work out for the teen. The best part was, it would all work out.


	6. NIghtmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ONe is More Canon Than WHat YOu Would Think  
> \- Post-Apotheosis where Colonel Schaffer and the leftover army members that weren't affected figure out how to stop the apotheosis and revert back others who were infected/temporarily dead   
> Tedlette is mentioned, Paulkins is Back Babey  
> TW: Anxiety, Meds, Death (mentioned)

Prompts:

“It was just a dream.”

“This will help, I promise.”

\--

A scream resounded through the apartment, causing Emma to shoot straight up in bed. The clock read  **4:04 AM** . The sun wouldn’t be up for another hour. She pushed herself out of Paul’s grasp. It wasn’t Paul that screamed. She could tell because he was still snoozing peacefully. How he was, Emma had no clue. That left one person.

Noel.

The teen was still living with Emma and Paul for two weeks that fall. Ted had whisked Charlotte away on a “romantic getaway” to Montana to meet his family. Noel had refused to go, not wanting to see anything remotely involving a large family gathering. Charlotte would be too busy with Ted to notice her, and Noel would know nobody there. Plus, the teen was still undergoing therapy for the aftereffects of the apotheosis. Emma and Paul had willingly taken her in for the time being, wanting Charlotte and Ted to be happy, even if Ted was an asshole sometimes.

“Noel?” Emma flicked the room’s light on. She had balled herself up in the blankets, sitting straight up in bed. The teen’s eyes were wide and shaky breaths fell from her lips. Her hands were shaking as she tried to remove the blankets from her body. Emma could tell the anxiety attack from a mile away. 

“Hey, hey. Noel, let’s take deep breaths.” Emma sat on the edge of the mattress, not too close as not to smother Noel. She began to mimic the actions of deep breaths, watching Noel’s quick breaths slow to deeper ones. Her eyes were glassy with tears. Whatever that dream had been, it had hit the girl pretty hard. They all had nightmares since, but it seemed to hurt different watching a child go through them. The therapist had told Emma that Noel’s were pretty frequent, which was a concern, and that they shook her up pretty hard.

“It was just a dream, Noel. You know that, right?” Emma moved closer, trying to see how comfortable Noel was feeling. She didn’t flinch or move back, so Emma stayed where she had moved to. Noel sniffled, a soft hiccup coming from her lips. Emma sighed and held her hand out. Noel’s shaky hand fell into hers. She gently held it, trying to help stop what was happening.

“Just a dream, Noel. I promise. You don’t need to tell me what happened, you don’t have to at all. You just have to calm down. You have school, Paul will drive you as always...you just have to calm down a little bit.” Emma spoke slowly and quietly so the teen wouldn’t feel intimidated.

A lot was probably intimidating the teen, the more Emma thought about it. She had compiled a list with Paul one night when neither of them could sleep and they could hear Noel tossing and turning in bed.

  1. The apotheosis and its infection of her aunt and uncle: the two most important people in her life.
  2. Almost being infected by her uncle.
  3. Seeing both her aunt and uncle be shot and supposedly killed by Professor Hidgens.
  4. Seeing Paul infected.
  5. Being alone in the hospital for days on end until Colonel Schaffer allowed her to leave with newly-resurrected Charlotte and now-healed Ted. 
  6. Finding out Sam hadn’t been able to be saved.
  7. Moving out to Colorado and starting a new school.
  8. Charlotte and Ted leaving suddenly fo a two-week getaway to Montana, leaving Noel with Paul and Emma.



“Can I have a hug?” The tiniest whisper came from the girl. Emma was shocked. She hadn’t asked for any hugs from anyone besides Charlotte since the first time Emma saw her again: thin as can be, bags purpler than the purple crayon in the Crayola box, bandaids and gauze from days of testing blood. Emma immediately complied, giving Noel a hug.

The girl’s body slowly stopped shaking. Emma could almost feel the relief falling over her body. The clock now read **5:29 AM** . Had it really been over an hour? She could now hear Paul going into the bathroom to take a shower. He must’ve known where she was. The temporary apartment wasn’t that big, it was pretty obvious.

“Come on, we’re gonna go get something to eat and drink.” Emma got up, offering a hand to the teen. Despite being 16, the nightmares reduced Noel to nothing. Emma had seen Charlotte smoothing the girl’s hair as she shook for what could be hours on end. 

The worst had hit a week after moving.

Noel, Charlotte, and Ted had moved into the apartment across the hall. The screams were loud enough to wake Paul up. Paul was a heavy sleeper, especially when he took medication. Charlotte always apologized, but Emma understood. Noel would cling to Charlotte for days after them. She didn’t even go to school, and everyone knew Noel Michaels didn’t miss school.

Emma led Noel into the kitchen, making sure she sat at the small table and stayed there as she made a cup of tea. If there was one thing Beanies taught Emma, it was how to make a good cup of tea. Even if Nora made her take out the damn teabag when she gave it to a customer. 

“This will help, I promise,” Emma whispered to Noel, trying to be sweet. She heard Paul come out of the bathroom as she put the cup on the table. 

“Morning, beanstalk,” Emma said as he came behind her, giving her a hug. Paul kissed the top of her head.

“Missed you this morning.” He mumbled into her hair, kissing her head again. Emma nodded.

‘Got an early start, that’s all. You’re driving Noel, I’ve got a class online today.” She heard the toaster go off and she had to pull away to get the bagel she had made for Noel. However, the teen had gotten up and was already doing it herself. Emma was pulled back into Paul’s arms and he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“Did she wake up again?” He asked quietly, which Emma nodded to. He sighed, “She’s gonna have to start taking those meds I take.”

“But not at the strength you do because you’re taking what seems like a fucking horse tranquilizer,” Emma said, hearing the coffee pot beep. She went and poured two cups, giving Paul one and then making her own.

“Okay, Noel. You’ve got school, I’ll pick you up. Did you take your medicine?” Paul talked, sipping the coffee. Noel just nodded, shoving the bagel in her mouth. Emma’s heart hurt for the girl, watching her chase the bagel with her medicine the psychiatrist had prescribed her. She got a quick hug from Noel, a whispered “thank you”, and then a kiss from Paul to signify their leaving. The apartment was far from the school -- and Paul usually stayed in town to find another job until Emma could finish her classes.

“I love you, Paul,” Emma whispered to her boyfriend as he pulled away from the kiss.

“I love you too, Em. More than you know. I’ll be back, don’t worry.” He smiled and hugged her tightly as Noel waited at the door with her backpack in hand. 

Emma loved her little makeshift family, even with the nightmares and rocky days.


	7. Softball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really have to give yall some soft, soft baby noel being a gay,,,plus a little look at her and alice as kiddies

_ Crack. _

The sound of the softball hitting the bat brought relief to the 10-year-old. She ran to the first base and stopped, a big smile gracing her face. Even though her helmet blinded her, she could see Sam giving her a thumbs-up. 

Softball was the one good idea the pair had for Noel. It had been suggested by Melissa, one of Charlotte’s coworkers, that Noel could join the Hatchetfield Youth Softball team, coached by Melissa herself. It would help with the girl’s nerves, Melissa claimed. After thinking and talking, Noel was signed up. Practices happened on Thursdays and Mondays, games on Saturday mornings. Nobody thought she could play. She was 4 feet, 5 inches and weighed in at 83 pounds. She had always been small, she was small for everything. However, she surprised everyone when she hit a double and sprinted to second base faster than most people had ever seen her run.

Noel was in no way god-tier amazing, but she was trying her very best. Melissa definitely favored her, especially when Noel would get out of school on Tuesdays and she and Melissa could go and play while Charlotte was working. 

The first home-run the girl hit was at one of the final games. Bill and Alice had actually taken Noel to this game. She had stayed with Alice overnight, so Bill offered to take her for Charlotte and Sam. Alice cheered for her best friend as she went up to the plate, Bill taking a video for her aunt and uncle.

The ball came flying at Noel. She swung and missed before pushing her helmet back up her head and preparing herself. The ball came again.

_ Crack. _

She began running, and running, and running. She didn’t stop running until she felt her feet hit the home base again. She could hear cheers, but Alice’s rang out louder. The team was cheering too, and so was Melissa.

“Noel! You got a home run!” Melissa hugged her mini protege when she came back to the bench, “I’m so proud of you, sweetie. I really am.” She whispered, straightening the girl’s helmet out. Noel couldn’t stop smiling. The home run made her spirits high. Aurora Duke, one of the pitchers, gave her a hug.

“That was such a good home run, Noel! It was so cool! The ball just flew in the air!” The brunette giggled into her ear and Noel’s face went red. Aurora was easily one of the prettiest girls in the school and on the team.

Noel didn’t know she was a lesbian yet, but Aurora made her stomach all fluttery. 

After the game, she was dropped home to Charlotte’s wide-open arms.

“I’m so proud of you, sweetie,” she said softly into her niece’s braids, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.”

“It’s okay, Auntie. Alice got to see it! And--And Melissa was super proud of me! And Aurora Duke!” She was grinning, basically floating on a cloud. The praise she was getting made her feel good. Like she did things right. 

She would go on to quit softball when she got to high school, but she’d never forgotten her first home-run and how good it felt to have everyone cheering her on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive had this wirtten for a while but i didnt end up posting it, but ollie told me to so i did--  
> little noel literally owns my heart


	8. Dinosaur Stuffie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh my BABy noel

“Auntie Charlotte?” The voice startled Charlotte from her sleep. She could see a figure in the doorway. It was tiny and clutched what looked like a dinosaur stuffed animal. It clearly wasn’t Sam, as he had worked an overnight shift this week. That left Noel: Sam’s niece who was now in their care, as of a year ago.

“Noel?” Charlotte asked, reaching over to turn the lamp on. The little 8-year-old was shaking in her pajamas, eyes red from what Charlotte assumed to be crying. “It’s late, sweetie, what’s wrong?” She sat up, blinking in the bright light. 

“Nightmare..” Noel sniffled, rubbing her nose against the sleeve of her pajamas. Charlotte felt her heart breaking into two. Noel was a nervous child as it was, she always worried and fussed, eventually leading to meltdowns. Noel also had been called out of school multiple times for her meltdowns, which harmed Charlotte’s job and Sam’s as well. She loved the girl with every ounce of her that wasn’t dedicated to Sam. She knew she had to make it right.

“C’mere, love.” Char opened her arms for her, and Noel climbed in, leaning into her aunt’s chest. She stayed silent for a minute, just holding the dinosaur right between her arms. Char just held her. She didn’t know if she could ask about it. 

“You aren’t gonna let me leave, right?” Noel asked quietly, almost muffled by the dinosaur. Char was taken aback. 

“Of course not, sweetie. Why?” She began to run her hand through her niece’s hair gently. Noel sniffled. 

“My momma and dad were gonna take me in the bad dream…” Noel buried her head into the dinosaur’s back. “And you and Uncle Sam were letting them...but you won’t, right? Never ever?” 

“Never ever,” Char confirmed, undoing tangles in her hair. She finished untangling the brown hair and then began to braid it. Noel had settled down, resting peacefully. 

“Auntie Charlotte?” Noel asked quietly, moving so she wouldn’t rest uncomfortably against Char’s arms. Char hummed, braiding her hair in two down her back.

“Yes?” She asked quietly, stopping to tie off the first braid. Noel smiled softly, a yawn slipping through her lips.

“I love you, Auntie…” She mumbled, her eyes closing. Char smiled and pressed a kiss to her head.

“Love you too, Noel. I love you too.”


	9. AP Bio

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yet agan i love noel and arora  
> and ft. hidgens being a biology teacher

Noel didn’t regret signing up for AP Biology at all. Especially because of Henry Hidgens, who was her Auntie Emma’s old kooky college professor. The actual best part, besides having an in with the teacher, was that Aurora was also in the class.

The gays really won the class lottery. The two of them also got paired as lab partners. Perhaps that was Paul’s doing; he was helping Professor Hidgens get settled, and that included making a seating chart.

So, Noel and Aurora would sit at the side table, as the seating chart called for, always with at least some part of them touching. One day, Noel had sat on Aurora’s lap for all of the class. Hidgens hadn’t batted an eye. Students certainly did, but none tried to disrupt the peace of the couple. That day was the first time Noel had shut up in class. It was good.

However, today was nothing big. The couple was taking turns squeezing each other’s limbs. Thigh, arm, shoulder. It was becoming repetitive. Noel knew Hidgens could see her out of the corner of his eye as he talked about the processes of cells. She didn’t care, just stifling giggles as Aurora squeezed her thigh. Hidgens turned towards the SmartBoard, writing something down.

“Miss Michaels, Miss Duke, hands to yourself.” He spoke, calling the two girls out as Noel squeezed Aurora’s thigh right back. Noel felt her cheeks go bright red and she pulled away from her girlfriend, embarrassed. A few laughs came from their classmates. Noel kept her hands to herself, beginning to space out as Hidgens droned on about cell processes.

The bell rang, snapping Noel from her thoughts. Hidgens was pointing at her and holding his finger up, his symbol for “stay after”. She knew it well. It wasn’t his day to drive her home, but she knew she was going to get a lecture for her fooling around. The rest of the class left, leaving just Noel and the tall professor.

“Uncle Henry, y’know I didn’t mean to disrupt class...Aurie and I were just fooling around like always…” She trailed off as Hidgens began to pack up his stuff. Her phone dinged, reminding Noel that Danny was driving her home again.

“I know, Noel. But you have to remember I can’t show I favor you too much. And you and Miss Duke have to remember that you can’t let it all go to your head.” He smiled softly and began to put his jacket on. “Do you have a ride home? Or, would you enjoy some coffee with your uncle again?” 

“Oh, Uncle Henry, I’ll tell Danny you’re taking me home. I really need a coffee.” She grinned and texted Danny, letting him know she would rather spend the afternoon with her eccentric biology professor uncle than watching him and Deb smoke weed. She smiled and put her phone in her pocket, ready to get out of school and blow off all her work just to make her uncle happy.

It felt good, good to not be reprimanded, and good to blow off studying for his test that she would later get a 92 on, one of the highest grades in the class.


	10. Crying In My PromDress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ha, enjoy this canon one-shot with angst  
> sorry i gotta do it to her, i've been too nice.

Noel was at the senior prom, her sophomore girlfriend in tow. Aurora was clinging to her arm, her purple nails still wrapped around her bicep as she got a drink for her.

“Thanks, Aurie.” She chimed, placing the drink on the table. The music was starting up. It was a slower, somber song. Not very prom vibe. Noel knew it, but she kept her mouth shut. She didn’t like her singing voice, even if Danny told her it sounded good when he drove her home after school.

_ I feel like a six out of ten _

_ I've gotta get up early tomorrow again _

_ What goes on behind the words? _

_ Is there pity for the plain girl? _

“C’mon, Noellie, let’s dance,” Aurie pulled her girlfriend onto the floor. Noel blushed and wiped at Aurie’s cheek. Light blue goo ran down her chin, but Noel didn’t think of it. There had been Gushers, courtesy of student council. That had to be where it came from.

“Okay, okay..” Noel wrapped her arms around Aurie.s neck, feeling Aurora’s hands clutch her middle. They swayed for a bit, but then Aurora opened her mouth, and Noel felt every ounce of her self-control melt.

_ “Can you see the panic inside? I'm making you uneasy, aren't I?”  _ Aurora sang with the music, voice fitting in perfectly. Noel’s heart sped up. The song was still playing, but all that she focused on was Aurora’s voice filling her ears. Then, Aurora leaned in for a kiss, which Noel happily took. She felt a little nip at her lip, then Aurora’s tongue slip into her mouth.

And then the goo cascading down her throat. Noel gagged and tried to pull away, but Aurora had her tight in her clutches, and Noel couldn’t fight against it. She didn’t understand what was going on, but it felt like when she spaced out in Statistics. It felt like she couldn’t control anything, she couldn’t control the lyrics coming from her mouth, a voice unlike her own singing clear.

_ ”I know that you don't want me here, I know that you don't want me here,”  _ She sang, but the little voice in her head kept fighting it. It wasn’t her singing. The song cut off after that, but Noel just stood with Aurora in her arms. The electric blue eyes met hers. That wasn’t Aurora’s eye color. Aurora had hazel eyes that Noel fell in love with.  _ Not _ electric blue.

  
“Aurie?” Noel choked out, almost in tears. Aurora just shushed her, her thumb rubbing into her back. A tear slid down her cheek, but Aurora’s hand wiped it away before it could fall from her cheek.

“Don’t think, don’t worry. It’s gonna be okay, Noel. You’re gonna like this.” She whispered, kissing her again. Noel let it happen, shaking. She couldn’t fight it off but as the music started back up, her voice rang out loud and clear with the words.   
  


This was her now. She couldn’t stop it. It would be just her and Aurie, against the world, singing in harmony. 

Bliss.


	11. Stomach Bug

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i! am! soft! for baby noel  
> i found gentle whump prompts so  
> here's noel and char and sam at the end  
> sam is soft in this chater, dont worry

The stomach flu had taken over Hatchetfield Public Schools, sweeping through the second-grade classrooms with no prevention. Charlotte should’ve seen it coming. Noel was too little and weak to fight it off, so it just consumed her.

So, now Noel was lying in Charlotte and Sam’s bed, chills racking her body. Sam and Charlotte were switching off days to spend with Noel at home, making sure she took care of herself. It was a Thursday--Sam’s long day at work. Charlotte was knitting a blanket, Noel curled up under one in bed, watching Drake and Josh. She was still pretty sick, despite the medicine she had been prescribed. She had thrown up most things she’d eaten. A yawn slipped through her lips, her head resting on the stuffed dog Sam had gotten her for Christmas.

“You tired, hon?” Char asked, leaning over to feel her head. She was still pretty hot, the fever relentless on her. Noel nodded, sniffling. Her eyes were already drooping shut, but she had a request.

“Can you sing, Auntie Charlotte?” She coughed, sniffling again. Charlotte’s face flushed. She didn’t have a good voice. Sure, she sang in church, but she was usually drowned out by the other actually good singers. But, Noel was the most adorable kid she knew...and she was sick...and she knew exactly what to sing. She moved to be closer to Noel, gently fixing the girl’s blanket so it covered her completely. Charlotte opened her mouth and began to sing quietly.

“Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high...there’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby,” Char started, gently running a hand through Noel’s messy brown hair, trying to soothe her to sleep. Noel stayed a little restless, trying to deal with the chills. Char sighed and continued singing, running her hand through her hair.

“Someday, I’ll wish upon a star, and wake up when the clouds are far behind me…” Char trailed off, feeling Noel’s breaths slow into her sleeping rhythm. “Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops...that’s where you’ll find me.” She gently stood up, tucking the blanket around Noel and, yet again, gently pulled her thumb away from her mouth. She began to knit again, resting in her chair.

Sam came home in a few hours. Noel was restless again, which Charlotte realized it was because of the fever finally breaking. Char had made sure she settled down long enough for her to start dinner. Sam breezed into the kitchen, giving Charlotte’s waist a soft squeeze.

“Oh, Sam, today’s your day to stay late, what are you doing home so early?” Char asked, her head snapping up from the soup pot. Sam shrugged, grabbing a Bud Light from the fridge.

“Dropped down on my hours so I could relieve you of Noel.” He shrugged, taking a sip from it. “How’s she doing?” He rested against the kitchen counter as Char sighed, stirring the soup.

“Fever’s finally breaking, but she still looks terrible. I’m gonna make her some of that soup with the princess shapes and have her watch a movie, then go to bed. Good plan?” She asked, tying her hair back. Sam nodded and grabbed said can of soup from the pantry, beginning to make it. Char smiled as she heard steps into the kitchen, and there stood Noel, a purple blanket wrapped around her and her little stuffed dog.

“Hey, kid, feeling any better?” Sam kissed her head as he waited for the soup to heat up in the microwave. Noel sniffled and leaned into Sam’s body, making Sam hug her. She just nodded and held the dog tightly. Sam, luckily being way stronger than Char was, lifted Noel and held her as they waited. Char smiled. Her husband could be insufferable at times, but she loved him and Noel. After all, he was the reason they had her. 

“Auntie Charlotte sang to me...she sang me Somewhere Over The Rainbow…can we watch it tonight?” She heard Noel mumble into Sam’s shoulder, and Sam smiled and nodded as the microwave went off with Noel’s soup.

“Sure, kid. We can watch it, but you gotta sleep too. Deal?” 

“Deal.”


	12. My First Noel One-Shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i found the first noel thing i ever wrote  
> please, im thriving  
> its so short cause i cant bring myself to finish it  
> yes i gave noel some memory loss but we arent gonna talk about it

“Tell me where they are.” 

The gun shook in the brunette’s hands as she aimed it at the vaguely familiar man. The blue eyes in front of her went wide and a stammered explanation fell from his lips, but none of it made sense to her. Noel then switched her aim to the girl next to him, the girl who reminded her of Emma: the woman at the coffee shop Noel had regularly helped out at. She couldn’t remember who exactly they were, but the voices kept tugging at her very limited memory. Something pulled her from her mind, a voice and two hands over hers to lower the gun.

“Noel, Sam and Charlotte died. A while ago...Sam was infected and he infected Charlotte. The barista’s professor had to kill them. I’m sorry.” The gun was taken from her hands and she turned to see who it was. 

Ted. the name was familiar. The voice. The cigarettes. His aunt’s affair that everyone thought she didn’t know about. How much she hated this man.

“No, no. You’re just lying. You’re trying to fuck with me.” she shook her head, trying to move away. Ted grabbed her arm, bending down to be at her level. She yanked her arm from his and her hands shook.

"I'm not, Jesus Christ, Noel. They're dead. Which means we have to take you with us." He spoke slowly as tears formed in Noel's eyes. They couldn't be dead. Her only family. They couldn't be dead. That wasn't allowed.

But they were, according to Ted. The girl was clutching the other guy's arm, a sad look on her face. She didn't understand. What had happened?


	13. This Is Not Noel, Wow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi hi im dedicating this to ollie cause i appreciate him for making denver and ame for me to project all my love into!!!  
> it's very short, but at this rate? oh well...

Amelia couldn’t help but smile. The weather was nice, she’d won a volleyball game, she’d gotten a 100 on her French test...good day.

But the best part was the boy sitting next to her. Denver. Well, he was fast asleep, his head on her shoulder as they laid in her bed. She had taken him back to her apartment for a few hours after school. It was a nice Tuesday in April and all she wanted was to curl up with her boyfriend and take a nice nap. Being benched due to injury really sucked at times like these. She had her headphones in as he slept peacefully, her hand tracing soft patterns on his arm. It wasn’t much, but it was something she loved.

“Amelia, tu as besoin de quelque chose?” Her mum, Elizabeth, asked, poking her head in. It took Amelia a minute to process. She was asking if she needed anything. She looked over and shook her head, saying she was okay.

“Non, maman, ça va.” She responded in a hushed tone, trying not to wake Denver up. Elizabeth nodded, closing the door as Denver stirred.

“Ames?” He asked, his voice a little tired as his eyes fluttered open. Immediately, Amelia paid attention, pausing her music.

“Yeah? Do you wanna get up?” She asked, stopping her hand. He shook his head and smiled his pretty smile that made Amelia melt.

  
“No, just wanna lay...for a bit…” He whispered, and Ame happily obliged. There was nothing she enjoyed more than lying with Denver. He made her feel loved, whole, and nothing could change it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope yall love ame shes babey and i wont hurt her i promise


	14. valetine's day!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy happy valentine's day!  
> dedicated to my ollie because i love him  
> enjoy ame and den being the couple i can project my wants onto--  
> happy late valentine's day!

“You like my dress?”

“I’m gonna like it a lot more later, when you take it off”

\------

Ame wasn’t one for dresses. However, she had found a really cute one for winter formal. It was black, the collar didn’t go down too far...the bottom poofed out enough that when she spun, it was good. So, in a moment of absolute delirium, she went to Den’s current residence (Ted’s house) and knocked on the door. His older “sister” opened the door, Noel standing in front of her. Ame was taller than her, but Noel was older, so Ame was still a little nervous around her.

“Oh, hi, Noel--is Den home?” Ame asked, her fingers fidgeting with the zipper of her coat. Noel smiled and stepped to the side to let Ame in.

“He’s in the living room, Amelia--he was just about to text you, actually,” Noel said as Ame stepped in, walking into the living room as she took off her coat. Den was sitting in his chair, the biggest grin on his face as he saw his girlfriend in a dress, just like him.

“Ames-” He said as Ame caught his eye. She blushed, then smiled at his dress. He had a purple dress on, it had ¾ sleeves (unlike Ame’s, which had straps that crossed in the back), and it just made Den look amazing in Ame’s eyes.

“Den, honey, you’re fucking adorable, oh my god--I love it all.” She turned and cupped his face. Den grinned and let his hands wander across Ame’s back.

“And you look gorgeous.” He muttered. “You like my dress?” He asked, his voice soft in Ame’s ear as she smirked.

“I’m gonna like it a lot more later when you take it off.” She whispered, causing him to blush and whack her shoulder. She laughed.

“And if yours isn’t on my floor after, I’m throwing a fit.” Den kissed her jawline as Noel came back into the room, hearing her brother flirt with his girlfriend.   
  
“Denny!” She laughed, causing the couple to blush and pull apart. “No fucking in my living room. Your mum and dad will kill me.” She ruffled his hair lightly. “Anyway, you two, be nice and let me get a picture for Auntie Char-”   
  


“No, no pictures-” The couple whined in unison as Noel snapped a picture of them in their dresses.

“Oh. Happy Valentines Day, you two. I’m heading out, be safe and be smart.” Noel chimed as she grabbed her jacket and purse before closing the door behind her. Ame turned to Den and grabbed his face, pressing her lips against his.

“She has no idea, does she?” Den whispered as Ame kissed around his face.

“Oh, she knows. But she doesn’t know how much I love you.” Ame pressed a long kiss to his lips, shutting him up and feeling his hands run up her back to play with her hair. Den made her happy. He made her stomach fill with butterflies. He made her feel loved. And that’s all she wanted him to feel too.


	15. dialogue!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i write scripts in my spare time, so enjoy me editing the first beanies scene to include noel <3

**SCENE 1 OF NOEL: BEANIES**

**_NOEL is stage left, counting money underneath the counter of Beanies Coffee Shop. EMMA is working the register while NORAH and ZOEY are fuckin’ around in the break room, not doing work. NOEL keeps messing up and keeps restarting while EMMA deals with a very asshole customer._ **

MIAH

Can I get a grande caramel frappe in a venti cup with ten pumps of hazelnut, three shots of espresso, no caramel drizzle, with a whip on top?

EMMA

Sure, that'll be 5.50.

_ MIAH looks up, taking his money and then paying, before dropping a dollar in the tip cup.  _

MIAH

Jesus, fine... Hey! I just tipped you!

EMMA

Oh, well, thank you.

MIAH

Aren't you supposed to sing? The sign says tip for a song.

_ NOEL looks up, clearly not happy with the new rule. She just looks to EMMA, who begins to talk. _

EMMA

Yeah, uh, that's a new thing. The owner went to Coldstone Creamery over the weekend and brought back the whole singing thing... but you know, there's a line and people are working- I don't wanna disturb anyone.

MIAH

Haha, I don't care- I just tipped you, c’mon.

EMMA 

Okay, well, did you do it to be nice, or did you do it to be an asshole?

MIAH 

Fine, I'll take it back then.

EMMA 

Oh no, what am I gonna do without that dollar I have to split with five other people?

_ PAUL walks in and catches NOEL’s eye. NOEL runs out from behind the counter and gives him a hug. PAUL hugs her back but keeps his eyes on EMMA. Under the following dialogue, NOEL can be heard pestering PAUL. _

MIAH 

You know what? I'm never coming back here- that sign’s bullshit!

_ NOEL is seen to flinch when the man raises his voice and PAUL is seen gently patting her back. The audience should assume PAUL and NOEL have some sort of familial relation--father-daughter most likely. _

EMMA

Oh my god, so mean!

NORA

Emma, what's the deal over here?

EMMA 

that guy flipped out on me for no reason

HCB 

she wouldn't sing for him- and I still haven't gotten my hot chocolate

NOEL

Oh, sorry, I'll get right on that-

HCB

I have very low blood sugar

_ NOEL comes back around the counter and begins to make the hot chocolate, her face set in concentration. EMMA turns to NOEL and attempts to help her, but NOEL won’t let her.  _

NORA

I'm sorry sir, we'll get you a voucher... Jesus, Emma, come on, I already told you twice!

EMMA

It's embarrassing, Nora- I mean, God, maybe Zoey's okay with the whole singing thing ‘cause she majored in theater…

ZOEY

I think it's a really fun idea, Nora.

EMMA

Why aren't you working?

ZOEY

Oh, I'm on vocal rest.

EMMA

You're on what?

ZOEY

I'm on vocal r- goddamnit, Emma, now I need to make a tea with honey! Gosh!

EMMA

Look, can't Zoey just do the singing? I don't like it.

NOEL

I don’t like it either, Nora--can we not?

NORA

Oh, then I guess you two must not like having a job here then, hm?

NOEL

No, no--I’m sorry, I’ll do the singing, Nora, I’ll do it, I’ll do it-I’m sorry-   
  


_ NOEL disappears behind the set momentarily with the hot chocolate, only for a spill sound to occur, a yelp, and we see NOEL’s figure disappear. _

NORA 

What was that Emma?! Get her and yourself in check or you’re out of here. Now move it- you got a line

_ Emma sighed and rubbed her eyes before putting on her ‘customer service face’ and turned to PAUL. _

EMMA

Hi- what can I get for you today?

PAUL

I got an easy one for you--just a cup of black coffee.

_ NOEL comes back out, a too-big white shirt now on. That “splash” had been her spilling HCB’s hot cocoa down her shirt. She just goes back to counting the money, shaking her head and restarting every time she messes up. PAUL notices, as does EMMA, but EMMA continues working. She’ll talk to her later, Emma thought. NOEL catches PAUL’s tip and makes a face, her eyes going wide and her head shaking “NO” as EMMA notices. _

EMMA

Seriously?! I-

_ (sings) _

I’ve been brewin’ up your coffee-

PAUL

_ (cuts her off) _

No no, I-uh, I’m sorry, I don’t need you to sing, I just tipped because you know…

_ NOEL gives PAUL a nod to keep talking. She’s picked up on his crush already. _

PAUL

...uh, people should tip-

EMMA

Oh-

_ NOEL rolls her eyes and leans over the counter, poking PAUL’s arm. _

NOEL

Oh my god, you two are stupid.

_ EMMA seems a little taken aback by NOEL’s comment, turning to look at her. NOEL is making eye contact with PAUL, her face in an exasperated grin. _

EMMA

Noel, you know him?

_ NOEL turns back to EMMA, her hand fisting the large white shirt. _

NOEL

Yeah, uh, he works with my aunt--I’ve known him since I moved here.

_ A comfortable silence fell over the group as EMMA went to make his coffee. NOEL started getting frustrated with the tips- and groaned. _

NOEL

Fuck- Em could you take over the tips?

_ EMMA nods and gives her the coffee pot, taking the tips off her. _

PAUL

What’s got you stressed, ‘el?

NOEL   
Nothing much, just my illiteracy skills. 

PAUL

C’mon, even I know that’s not true. 

NOEL   
It’s...just Zoey and Norah. I really don’t like them...Zoey’s annoying.

EMMA   
Yeah. She hired all of her little theatre friends and they will not  _ shut the fuck up _ about some shitty production of “Godspell” they did last summer.

PAUL   
Oh, that was the one at the rec center, right? I think I had to see that. I did not like it.

EMMA

Yeah! It sucked, right? 

PAUL   
Yeah, they shouldn’t have called it Godspell, it should’ve been “God-awful”.

EMMA

Yeah, or, like, “God-Damn, That Was Bad.

NOEL   
Oh, uh, I was in it-

PAUL/EMMA

Yeah, you were the only good thing about it-

_ The trio all blush, but all for different reasons. NOEL is the first to snap out of it, beginning to put the lid on the cup. _

PAUL

Yeah...I don’t like musicals. Watching people sing and dance makes me very uncomfortable. 

EMMA

Well, then why did you come to the singing coffee shop? You know there’s a Starbucks across the street-

  
  


_ EMMA passes PAUL the coffee. NOEL is clearly hoping PAUL doesn’t pull a dumbass move. _

  
  


PAUL   
Oh, uh, you know, uh, some things are worth it. Like...damn good coffee!

EMMA

I see you in here all the time, don’t I? What’s your name?

_ NOEL facepalms behind EMMA’s back. _

PAUL

Paul.

EMMA   
Hi, Paul. I’m Emma.

HCB

Excuse me! I have been waiting for a very long while…

NOEL

Sorry, sorry!

PAUL

OK, uh, bye Emma!

  
NOEL

Paul, Paul, tell my mom I say hi!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this document is.....19 pages..... enjoy :)


End file.
